Container



March 9, 1965 M. w. KucHENBr-:CKER

CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1962 March 9, 1965 FiledSept. 26. 1962 M. W. KUCHENBECKER CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 9,1965 Filed Sept. 26, 1962 M. W. KUCHENBECKER CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3United States Patent Oii ice 3,172,594 Patented Mar. 9', 1'96'53,172,594 CNTAINER Morris W. Iuehenbecker, Neenah, Wis., assigner toAmerican Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey FiledSept. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 226,204 9 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The presentinvention relates to a self-sustaining carton or container and a unitaryblank therefor, for the packaging and dispensing therefrom of iiowableproducts such as liquids, granulated substances and the like and hasparticular reference to a top end closure which includes a convenientlyavailable dispensing means and a handle for carrying the container.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No.853,366 led November 16, 1959;

An object of the invention is to provide a top end closure for acontainer made from a unitary blank of paperboard or the like materialwherein the closure includes a handle and a dispensing means which canbe quickly and easily opened to dispense the container contents andwhich provides a convenient reclosure.

Another object is to provide a top end closure of the handle type whichpermits of the stacking of containers in vertical relation.

A further object is to provide such a top end closure which can betightly sealed to preclude leakage of liquid contents from the sealedcontainer.

Still a further object is to provide such a top end closure in which themovement to the opened dispensing position is facilitated.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a unitary blank from which a containerembodying the instant invention may be made;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sealed container made from the blankshown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially formed container, the viewshowing how the blank is folded to form the container body;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the upper end of the container,the views showing how the top closure is formed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper end of the container andshowing how the sealed closure is opened;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fully opened container with itsdispensing device in dispensing position;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view shown at reduced scale and illustrating howthe containers can be stacked;

FIG. 9 is a partial view of a unitary blank for making the container ofthe present invention showing a modified tab structure and added creaselines to facilitate the movement of the top closure to the openeddispensing position;

FIG. l() is a partial side view of the upper end of a container madefrom the blank of FIG. 9 with the handle section broken away and showinghow the top closure is formed and sealed; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective View of the upper end of the container of FIG.l showing the container in the opened dispensing position.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention, the drawingsdisclose a substantially rectangular container comprising a body 11(FIG. 2), a bottom 12 and a top end closure 13 which includes a carryinghandle 14 and a dispensing device 15 (see also FIG. 7) made from asingle or unitary paperboard blank 16 (FIG. l) of generally rectangularconfiguration.

The blank 16 (FIG. l) is suitably cut and scored or creased to divide itinto a number of walls, panels and tab portions. Four main side walls21, 22, 23, 24 are respectively separated from each other and hingedlyconnected together along crease lines 25, 26, 27. A glue flap 28 ishingedly connected along one side Ledge of wall 24 by a crease line 29.The glue flap 28 is divided' by crease lines 31, 32 into glue apportions 33, 34, 35.

The bottom 12 of the container may be formed in any suitable manner. Byway of example, the drawing of the blank shows four bottom closure flaps36, 37, 38, 39 respectively connected to the container side walls 21,22, 23, 24 along crease lines 41, 42, 43, 44. The bottom iiaps areseparated by cut lines 46, 47, 48, 49.

The top end closure 13 for the container comprises a pair of top panels51, 52 and a pair of end panels 53, 54. These panels are hingedlyconnected to the respective side walls 21, 23, 22, 24 along hinge creaselines 56, 58, 57, 59 respectively.

The top panels 51, 52 are rectangular in configuration and are connectedto the end panels 53, 54 and to the glue flap portion 35 along hingecrease lines 61, 62, 63, 64 which are extensions of the body wall creaselines 25, 26, 27, 29 respectively. Each of these top panels`51, 52 aredivided by a pair of diagonal crease lines 66, 67, into three triangularsections 68, 69, 70. Along their-top edges, the top panels 51, 52 areformed with rectangular handle tabs or sections 72 which are hingedlyconnected to the panels along crease lines 73. These handle sections 72are provided with an angularly disposed crease line 74 which extendsfrom the panel crease line 67 as shown in FIG. 1. The handle sections 72also are formed with a potential nger hole defined by an incornpletecircular cut line 75 which holds a plug 76 temporarily attached to thehandle section but which may be punched out to provide a finger hole.One of the handle sections 72 is provided with a iiap 77 which extendsthe' full width of the section along a crease line '78. This flap isdivided by .a perforated line 79 into a iixed or glue flap portion 81and a loose portion 82.

The end panels 53, 54 are each divided by diagonal crease lines 84, 85into a triangular section 86 and a pair of triangular Wing sections 87.The triangular sections 86 are hinged along the crease lines 57, 59 ofthe respectivev body side walls 22, 24 while the wing sections 87 arehinged along the diagonal crease lines 84, `85 and the body wall creaselines 61, `62, `63 and the glue flap crease line 64.

Above these triangular sections, the end panel 53 is provided with arectangular tab 89 which is hinged to the panel 53 along a crease line91. The tab S9 is disposed between the two handle sections 72 and isseparated therefrom by cut lines 92. A longitudinal perforated Vtearline 93 divides the tab 89 into a fixed tab portion 94 and a loose tabportion 95 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The end panel 53 and` its tab 89 constitute elements of the convenientlyavailable pouring spout or dispensing means 15 hereinbefore mentioned.To facilitate formation of this dispensing means in a finished containerthe blank is provided with a transverse crease line 96 which extendsacross the tab 89 and the end panel 53 and into the body side wall 22where it terminates and joins with a pair of diagonal crease lines 97defining a triangular section having a base crease line 42 as shown inFIG. l.

The end panel 54 is provided with a projecting taby 101 whichv ishingedly connected to the panel along a crease line 102 and is separatedfrom the adjacent handle section 72 by a cut line |103. This tab 101 istransversely divided into two sections 104, 105 by a crease line 106 andeach section is formed with a potential finger hold defined by anincomplete circular cut-line 107 which holds a plug -108 .temporarily inplace. These potential iinger holes are located in a predeterminedrelation to the potential finger holes in the handle sections y72 so asto align with them when the blank 116 is folded along its various creaselines to produce the container shown in FIG. 2.

In order to produce the container shown in FIG. 2 the blank -16 is firstfolded along the side wall crease lines 25, 26, 27 and glue iiap creaseline 29 to form the rectangular body 11 as best shown in lFIG. 3, theside walls 21, 22, 23, 24 being tied together by the glue ap portion 34which is bonded by a suitable adhesive to the inner face of the sidewall 21 along its free edge. The glue ilap portion 35 is also bonded tothe top panel 51 along its free edge. The four bottom flaps 36, 37, 3S,39 and the glue ap portion 33 are then folded in the usual manner intooverlapping position perpendicular to the side walls, along theirrespective crease lines 41, 42, 43, 44 and are adhesively securedtogether to form the bottom 12 of the container. This is a conventionalbottom construction.

In this open top end condition, with the body 1,1 and the bottom 12fully formed, the resulting container iS ready for filling. For liquidproducts the open end container is usually immersed in or otherwisecoated with molten wax or other liquid-proofing substance to render thecontainer leak-proof.

The lled container is closed and sealed by folding the top panels 51, 52inwardly and the end panels 53, 54 outwardly as shown in FIG. 4. Thefolding of the top panels o 51, 52 inwardly hinges them on theirrespective crease lines 56, 58 and also bends the handle sections 72along their crease lines 73, so that the two handle sections 72 are inan upright juxtaposed relation as shown in FIG. 4.

The outward folding of the end panels 53, 54 hinges them on theirrespective crease lines 57, 59 and collapses the panels so that thetriangular wing sections 87 fold along their diagonal crease lines 84,85 into place against ythe back of the triangular section 86.Simultaneously with this wing folding section, the tab 89 of the endpanel 53 hinges along its crease lines `91, 96 to fold the tab back onitself in a double thickness relation and to locate the folded tab in anupright position adjacent one end of the juxtaposed handle sections 72.In a similar manner the tab y101 on the end panel 5'4 hinges along itscrease lines 102, 106 to fold the tab portions 104, 105 into acontiguous relation and to locate lthese tab portions in an uprightposition adjacent the other end of the juxtaposed handle sections 72 asshown in `FIG. 4.

With the tabs l89, 101 of the respective end panels 53, 54 in thepositions shown in FIG. v4, the panels are bent upwardly along theircrease lines 57, 59 into a position surmounting the top panels 51, 52.This action interposes the tabs 89, 101 into the space between theupright handle sections 472 as shown in FIG. 5. In this position the tab101, the fixed portion -94 of the tab 89, and the handle section 72 areadhesively bonded together in a permanent joint. The ap 77 of one of thehandle sections 72 projects above the other handle section and is hingeddownwardly along its crease line 78, over -this other handle section andits glue portion -81 is adhesively secured in place, the loose portion82 of the llap remaining free but in folded-over position as acoextensive part of the adhesively bonded portion as shown in FIG. 2.There thus results a tight top closure for the container, with thepotential carrying holes in alignment and ready for use in carrying thecontainer, and with the top panels 51, 52 in a horizontal position whichpermits of the stacking of a plurality of such containers as best shownin FIG. 8.

To open the container, it is merely necessary to tear the loose liapportion 82 free of the adhesively bonded portion `81, along its tearline 79, as shown in FIG. 6. The end panel 53 is then pulled out to theposition shown in iFIG. 4. This action breaks the loose tab portions 95free of the adhesively bonded tab portions 94 of the tab 89,

Cit

the break being effected along the tear line l93. The handle sections 72are then pulled up and this expands the end panel 53 and the side wall22 connected thereto, along their crease lines 84, 85, 57, y96, 97, 91and bulges the top panels 51, 52 along their crease lines `66, 67, 74 toprovide the pouring spout or dispensing device 15 as shown in FIG. 7.

After a dispensing operation, the container may be readily reclosed bypressing the expanded end panel 53 and side wall 22 back to theirunexpanded flat positions and simultaneously pressing the handleportions 72 downwardly to return the top panels 51 and 52 to theiroriginal fiat configuration. The end panel 53 may then be moved upwardlyabout the crease line 57 to reposition the loose tab portions 95 intothe space between the handle sections 72 as shown in FIG. 6.

In the form of the instant invention shown in FIGS. 9 through ll, thetabs 89 and 101 have a modiiied structure which provides improvedsealing against leakage through the top closure of liquids packaged inthe container. As shown in FIG. 9, the tab 89 of the blank 16 isprovided with stepped portions 109 at the upper free edge of the tabadjacent the cut lines 92. The stepped portions 109 have edges 110disposed at an angle to the transverse axis of the blank, preferably atright angles thereto as shown. The tab 101 is similarly provided at itsupper free edge with stepped portions 111 having edges 112 adapted formating engagement with the stepped portions 109 of the tab 89 when thecontainer is erected.

The tab 89 is divided by weakened tear lines 113 into two trapezoidalshaped loose tab portions 114 and a fixed tab portion 115. The loose tabportions 114 are symmetrically shaped and symmetrically disposed 'oneach side of the crease line 96 with the longer `parallel side of eachtrapezoidal shaped loose -tab portion being formed by a portion of thecrease line 91 and with the loose tab portions abutting each other atthe crease line 96. The portions of the tear lines 113 forming the sidesof the loose tab portions 114 adjacent the cut lines 92 are spaced fromthe cut lines 92 to provide the fixed tab portion 115 with projectionsextending to the crease line 91 between the loose tab portions and theout lines 92.

The modified form of the blank 16 shown in FIG. 9 is formed into acontainer in a similar manner as heretofore described for the preferredembodiment of the blank shown in FIG. 1. In the erected container, thetabs 89 and 101 are interposed between the handle sections 72 with theupper free edges of the tabs including the stepped portions 109 and 111and the edges 110 and 112 of the tabs 89 and 101 respectively disposedin contiguous relation (FIG. l0). The tab 101 and the fixed portion 115of the tab 89 are adhesively bonded to the handle sections 72 with theadhesively bonded area running the full length of the handle sectionsadjacent the bottom edge 'of the handle sections and fully including thestepped portions 109 and 111 of the tabs. With the fixed tab portion 115of the tab 89 extending `fully to the crease line 91 and the adhesivebond between the handle sections 72 and the tabs 89 and 101 therebyextending the full length of the handle sections, the possibility ofleakage occurring at the corner juncture of the top panels 51, 52,handle sections 72 and tabs 89 and 101 is effectively precluded.

During the adhesive bonding 'of the tab 101 and the fixed portion 115 ofthe tab 89 to the handle sections 72,

an upward force is exerted on the tab 89 and a downward force is exertedon the tab 101, the forces being of suticient magnitude to maintain theedges and 112 in close abutting engagement. In the formed top closure13, the adhesively bonded abutting edges 110 and 112 produce a tightleakage proof seal along this portion of the contiguous edges of thetabs 89 and 101. The effect of dimensional variations in the tabs 89 and101 which could result in their contiguous edges failing to e abut atany portion of their length thereby making possible the presence of aine leakage path therebetween is thus overcome, and greater dimensionalAtolerances can be employed with consequent savings in manufacturingcosts.

fter the tab lill and the fixed portions 115 of the tab S9 have beenadhesively bonded to the handle sections 72, the iiap 77 of one of thehandle sections which projects above the other handle section is hingeddownwardly along its crease line 7S over this other handle section (PEG.l) and adhesively secured to this other handle section along its fulllength.

The modified forrn of the container shown in FIG. l0 is opened by merelypulling the end panel 53 outwardly to break the loose tab portions 114free of the fixed tab portion M along the tear lines 113. This alsocauses the iixed tab portion 115 to be separated from the triangularwing section S7 of lthe end panel 53 by rupture of the portions of thecrease line 91 along which the projections of the fixed tab portion arejoined to the wing sections. The handle sections 72 are then pulledupwardly bulging the top panels 51 and 52 along their crease lines 65,e7, 7d and expanding the end panel 53 and the side wall 22 along theircrease lines 84, Se, 57, 92, 95 and 97 to provide the pouring spout ordispensing device i5 as shown in FG. ll.

Where a siitf grade of paperboard is used such as may be required inmaking a larger size container, eg. a. one gallon size, it has beenfound desirable to provide one or more crease lines lle adjacent eachend of the crease line 57 joining the end panel 53 and side wall 22 tofacilitate the expansion of the end panel 53 and the side wall 2,2 inthe formation of the dispensing spout when the container is opened. Thecrease lines 11e extend angularly outwardly from the crease lines 84, 85deining the upper edges of the end panel 53 across the crease line 57 tothe crease lines 25, 2d defining the longitudinal edges of the side wall22.

After a dispensing operation the container may be readily reclosed in asimilar manner as heretofore described.

lt is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

l claim:

1. A top end closure for a self-sustaining tubular container having abody portion delined by four substantially rectangular side walls, saidtop end closure comprising a pair of top panels extending from a rstpair of oppositely disposed side walls and projectinor substantially inthe same plane in opposite directions across and closing the top` end ofsaid container body portion, a handle section on each of said toppanels, said handle sections being disposed in upright and juxtaposedrelation, a pair of end panels extending from the remaining pair ofoppositely disposed side walls and formed integral with and surrnountingsaid top panels, said end panels being disposed adiacent the end edgesof said top panels and said handle sections, and tab portions integralwith and extending from said end panels, said tab portions havingterminal edges with the terminal edges of the tab portions of one ofsaid end panels being contiguous the terminal edges of the tab portionsof the other of said end panels, said contiguous edges adjacent said toppanels being non-linear with at least a part of said contiguous terminaledges of said tab portions being in abutting engagement, said partthereof in abutting engagement being disposed at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of said container, said tab portions of said one ofsaid end panels being secured to said handle sections, said tab portionsof said other of said end panels being divided by a tear line into fixedtab portions secured to said handle sections and loose tab portions,said tear line being rupturable by an outward pull on said other of saidend panels to separate said loose tab portions from said iixed tabportions whereby said other of said end panels and said loose tabportions may be displaced outwardly from said top end closure for use asa dispensing means for said container.

2. A top end closure of the character defined in claim l wherein saidangle is substantially a right angle.

3. A top end closure of the character deiined in claim l wherein saidtab portions are interposed between said handle sections.

4. A top end closure of the character defined in claim l wherein saidhandle sections and said tab portions of said one of said end panels areprovided with aligned iinger holes for carrying said container.

5. A tcp end closure of the character defined in claim 1 wherein saidend panels are of triangular coniiguration and are formed withtriangular winn sections disposed contiguous with said triangular paneland are hingedly connected to said panels, and wherein said tab portionsare hingedly connected to said wing sections.

6. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 1 wherein thelowermost part of said loose tab portions is spaced above the plane ofsaid top panels and separated therefrom by said fixed tab portions.

7. A top end closure of the character defined in claim l wherein saiddispensing means includes weakened crease lines in said other of saidend panels and its integrally joined side wall, said crease linescomprising a longitudinal crease line extending downwardly from theuppermost edge of said other of said end panels continuing into saidintegrally joined side wall, a pair of downwardly diverging crease linesin said side wall extending from said longitudinal crease line, anddiagonal crease lines extending from the upper edges of said other ofsaid end panels across the line of juncture of said other of said endpanels and said side wall to the side edges of side wall whereby saidside wall and said other of said end panels are deformable into atrough-like structure by inward pressure on said first pair ofoppositely disposed side walls.

8. A top end closure of the character dened in claim 7 having a pair ofspaced diagonal crease lines disposed adjacent each end of the line ofjuncture of said other of said end panels and said side wall.

9. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 7 wherein saidtop panels are provided with crease lines to facilitate formation ofsaid trough-like structure of said dispensing means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS3,073,503 Kuchenbecker Ian. 15, 1963

1. A TOP END CLOSURE FOR A SELF-SUSTAINING TUBULAR CONTAINER HAVING ABODY PORTION DEFINED BY FOUR SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SIDE WALLS, SAIDTOP END CLOSURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF TOP PANELS EXTENDING FROM A FIRSTOF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THESAME PLANE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ACROSS AND CLOSING THE TOP END OF SAIDCONTAINER BODY PORTION, A HANDLE SECTION ON EACH OF SAID TOP PANELS,SAID HANDLE SECTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN UPRIGHT AND JUXTAPOSED RELATION,A PAIR OF END PANELS EXTENDING FROM THE REMAINING PAIR OF OPPOSITELYDISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND FORMED INTEGRAL WITH AND SURMOUNTING SAID TOPPANELS, SAID END PANELS, BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE END EDGES OF SAIDTOP PANELS AND SAID HANDLE SECTIONS, AND TAB PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH ANDEXTENDING FROM SAID END PANELS, SAID TAB PORTIONS HAVING TERMINAL EDGESWITH THE TERMINAL EDGES OF THE TAB PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID END PANELSBEING CONTIGUOUS THE TERMINAL EDGES OF THE TAB PORTIONS OF THE OTHER OFSAID END PANELS, SAID CONTIGUOUS EDGES ADJACENT SAID TOP PANELS BEINGNON-LINEAR WITH AT LEAST A PART OF SAID CONTIGUOUS TERMINAL EDGES OFSAID TAB PORTIONS BEING IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT, SAID PART THEREOF INABUTTING ENGAGEMENT BEING DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXISOF SAID CONTAINER, SAID TAB PORTIONS OF SAID ONE OF SAID END PANELSBEING SECURED TO SAID HANDLE SECTIONS, SAID TAB PORTIONS OF SAID OTHEROF SAID END PANELS BEING DIVIDED BY A TEAR LINE INTO FIXED TAB PORTIONSSECURED TO SAID HANDLE SECTIONS AND LOOSE TAB PORTIONS, SAID TEAR LINEBEING RUPTURABLE BY AN OUTWARD PULL ON SAID OTHER OF SAID END PANELS TOSEPARATE SAID LOOSE TAB PORTIONNS FROM SAID FIXED TAB PORTIONS WHEREBYSAID OTHER OF SAID END PANELS AND SAID LOOSE TAB PORTIONS MAY BEDISPLACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TOP END CLOSURE FOR USE AS A DISPENSINGMEANS FOR SAID CONTAINER.